Method of determining laser stabilities of optical materials, crystals selected according to said method, and uses of said selected crystals

ABSTRACT

The method determines laser stability of an optical material, which is suitable for making an optical element through which high-energy light passes. The method includes pre-irradiation to produce radiation damage and measurement of the resulting induced non-intrinsic fluorescence. The method is distinguished by excitation of induced fluorescence immediately after pre-irradiation and after at least ten minutes after pre-irradiation with light of a wavelength between 350 and 810 nm, and measurement and quantitative evaluation of fluorescence intensities at wavelengths between 550 nm and 810 nm. Especially laser-stable optical materials, particularly CaF 2  crystals, have a normalized difference (Z) of the fluorescence intensities measured at a first time immediately after pre-irradiation and at a second time at least ten minutes after the pre-irradiation, as calculated by the following equation (1): 
         Z =( I   2,λ1,λ2   −I   1,λ1,λ2 ) I   2,λ1,λ2 ,   (1) 
     which is less than 0.3.

CROSS-REFERENCE

German Patent Application DE 10 2006 038 902.6, filed Aug. 18, 2006 inGermany, describes substantially the same invention as described hereinbelow and claimed in the claims appended herein below and provides thebasis for a claim of priority for the instant invention under 35 U.S.C.119 (a)-(d). The disclosure in the foregoing German Patent ApplicationDE 10 2006 038 902.6 is hereby incorporated herein by explicit referencethereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of evaluating suitable opticalmaterial for making optical elements for high-energy radiation and tothe use of the optical materials obtained by this method.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is known that materials from which optical elements are made absorbmore or less of the light or radiation that passes through them, so thatthe intensity of the light and/or the radiation is generally less afterpassing through an optical element than before passing through it. It isalso known that the extent of the absorption depends on the wavelengthof the light. The absorption in optical systems, i.e. opticallytransparent systems, is kept as small as possible, because these systemsshould have a high light permeability or transmission, at least at theirrespective working wavelengths. The absorption is composed of absorptionfrom material-specific components (intrinsic absorption) and thosecomponents, which are referred to as the so-called non-intrinsiccomponents, such as inclusions, impurities, and/or crystal defects.While the intrinsic absorption is independent of the respective qualityof the material, the additional non-intrinsic components of theabsorption lead to a loss of quality of the optical material.

Energy that leads to heating is absorbed by the optical material both byintrinsic and also by non-intrinsic absorption. This sort of heating ofthe optical material has the disadvantage that the optical properties,such as the index of refraction, change, which leads to a change in theimaging behavior in an optical component used to beam formation, sincethe index of refraction not only depends on the wavelength of the lightbut also on the temperature of the optical material. Moreover heating ofan optical component leads to a change of the lens geometry. Thisphenomenon produces a change of the lens focal point or to blurring ofthe image projected with the heated lens. This leads especially inphotolithography, such as is used for making computer chips andelectronic circuits, to a quality impairment or to an increase in thenumber of rejects. That is clearly undesirable.

Furthermore it has been shown that the absorption of the materialincreases with time with longer irradiation with high-energy light. Thiseffect called radiation damage is composed of a more rapidly occurringreversible component and a slower irreversible component. In the case ofthe more rapid radiation damage a part of the absorbed radiation is notonly converted into heat, but is output again in the form offluorescence. The formation of fluorescence in an optical material,especially in optical crystals, is also known. For example, theproduction and measurement of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) inquartz, especially in OH-rich quartz, is described in W. Triebel,Bark-Zollmann, C. Muehlig, et al, “Evaluation of Fused Silica for DUVLaser Applications by Short Time Diagnostics”, Proceedings SPIE Vol.4103, pp 1-11, 2000. Fluorescence and transmission properties of CaF₂are described in C. Muehlig, W. Triebel, Toepfer, et al, ProceedingsSPIE Vol. 4932, pp. 458-466. The formation of optical absorption bandsin a calcium fluoride crystal is described by M. Mizuguchi, et al, in J.Vac. Sci. Technol. A., Vol. 16, pp. 2052-3057 (1998). A time-resolvedphotoluminescence for diagnosis of laser damage in a calcium fluoridecrystal is described by M. Mizuguchi, et al, in J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, Vol.16, pp. 1153-1159, July 1999. The formation of photoluminescence-formingcolor centers by excitation with an ArF excimer laser at 193 nm isdescribed there. However so that these sorts of measurements werepossible, crystals with a relatively high impurity level were used,which are insufficient for the high requirements of photolithography.Furthermore the fluorescence measurement is performed during a timeinterval of 50 nsec and after the laser pulse has finished passingthrough the sample. It has now been shown that the fluorescence valuesso obtained may not be used for quality control or for determination ofthe extent of impurity formation and thus for formation of color centersin crystals of high quality.

Since manufacture of an entire optical component from an optical blankis very expensive and labor-intensive, there is already a need toestablish the extent and nature or the radiation damage that would arisein the optical component during later usage at an earlier time point,i.e. prior to working the blank. Unsuitable material must be discarded.Attempts have already been made to determine the extent and the natureof the radiation damage of this sort by means of laser-inducedfluorescence. Thus, for example, WO 2004/027395 describes a process fordetermination of the non-intrinsic fluorescence in an optical material.In this process the fluorescence in the optical material is directlydetermined with the same laser, with which the pre radiation isperformed, i.e. immediately after a pre-radiation with light at anexcitation wavelength of 193 nm or 157 nm.

A method for quantitative determination of the suitability of opticalmaterials is described in DE 103 35 457 A1. In this method theenergy-density-dependent transmission is measured at wavelengths in theUV by determining an equilibrium value for the transmission at differentfluences, measuring the slope of the curve dT/dH for this sample andcomparing with the fluorescence properties.

Laser-stable material can already be evaluated at an earlier time pointduring production by means of the above-described method.Photolithographic illumination devices at the present stage ofdevelopment require a material, which is especially laser-stable, intheir illumination optics, in the laser used in them, or their laserbeam guidance system. This requirement results from the productivityrequirements of this sort of apparatus, which may well increase becauseof increases in laser power and thus inherent increases of the energydensity. The sensitivity of the aforementioned short-time measuringmethod for pre-evaluation of suitable optical raw material is thus nolonger sufficient in order to distinguish samples with especially goodlaser-stability from other laser-stable samples.

Material, which should have very good properties according to its laterusage, must thus be constantly tested up to now in a long duration test.When this material withstood this long duration test, it could then befurther processed or worked. Typical test conditions for this sort oflong duration test are, for example, irradiation with a 193 nm excimerlaser with a repetition rate greater than or equal to 1000 Hz at anenergy density per pulse of 15 mJ/cm² and a total number of pulses ofabout 10⁹ pulses. That means a measurement time of about 11.5 days.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedevaluation method, with which laser-stable and especially laser-stabilematerials can be identified or determined and especially with whichsamples of laser-stable and especially laser-stable material can bedifferentiated or distinguished from each other with regard to theirlaser stability.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedevaluation method for determining the laser stability of materials andfor distinguishing laser-stable materials from each other that can beperformed in a shorter time than currently available or prior artevaluation methods.

These objects, and others which will be made more apparent hereinafter,are attained in a method or determining or evaluating laser stability ofoptical material for making optical elements, especially fortransmission of high-energy radiation, which comprises pre-irradiatingthe optical material to produce radiation damage and measurement of aninduced non-intrinsic fluorescence.

According to the invention this method comprises the steps of:

a) pre-irradiating a sample of the material with radiation;

b) exciting induced fluorescence immediately after an end of thepre-irradiating and also at least ten minutes after the end of thepre-irradiating with light of a wavelength between 350 to 700 nm;

c) measuring intensities of the induced fluorescence at one or morewavelengths between 550 nm and 810 nm; and

d) quantitatively evaluating the intensities measured in step c) at theone or more of the wavelengths between 550 nm and 810 nm.

According to the invention it has been found that the excitedfluorescence in the wavelength range between 350 nm and 700 nm stillchanges after the end of the pre-irradiation. In the method according tothe invention thus the fluorescence is not measured only immediatelyafter the pre-irradiation as is common currently and is not excited withwavelengths used for pre-irradiation. According to the invention a firstmeasurement is performed immediately after the pre-irradiation and asecond measurement is performed after a predetermined time interval,especially after at least 5 minutes, preferably after at least 10minutes, especially after at least 15 or 20 minutes, and especiallyafter at least 30 minutes. Thus the increase of the fluorescence afterthe end of the pre-irradiation is measured. Moreover the fluorescence isnot produced with the same energetic light that is used for thepre-irradiation, but with light in a wavelength range of 350 to 700 nm.Within the scope of the present invention experiments have shown thatafter irradiation with high-energy radiation the energy absorbed in thematerial leads to formation of new sodium-stabilized F-centers notpresently found in crystals that have not been irradiated after a longtime interval. These sodium-stabilized F-centers may be excited now byfurther irradiation with radiation of other wavelengths and emitfluorescence by a transition from their excited state to their groundstate.

According to the invention it was found that the formation of thesodium-stabilized F-centers has an extraordinarily long formationconstant (k=1/τ with τ≧10 min). This leads to an increase of thefluorescence until at least 10, especially until at least 20, preferablyuntil at least 30 minutes after the end of the pre-irradiation.

Radiation damage (rapid damage) is usually produced by high-energyradiation. Suitable high-energy radiation sources for this purpose are,for example, X-ray sources, neutron beam sources, and high-energylasers, e.g. an excimer laser with an energy density of ≧5 mJ/cm², e.g.5 to >100 mJ/cm². The working wavelength range for the excimer laser isfrom 150 to 240 nm. A preferred laser is for example an ArF excimerlaser with a wavelength of 193 nm. The irradiation is preferablyperformed until sufficient sodium-stabilized F-centers are formed, whichis attained at the latest when equilibrium values of the transmissionare reached. This equilibrium is reached usually by irradiation withabout 10,000 pulses from an ArF laser (10 mJ/cm²). That equilibriumvalues of the transmission have been reached is established when thetransmission no longer measurably changes during irradiation. Theequilibrium value is reached with less than 3000 pulses, at most with200 to 2000 pulses, at an energy density ≧or >10 mJ/cm² and with morethan 200 pulses, especially more than 2000 to 3000 pulses, at an energydensity <10 mJ/cm². A first measurement of the fluorescence is performedimmediately after the pre-irradiation has finished. The measurementtypically occurs 3 to 5 seconds after the end of the pre-irradiation andusually last for 1 second. Then the second measurement of thefluorescence, which is of the same duration as the first measurement,does not occur until at least 10 minutes, preferably at least 20minutes, after the end of the pre-irradiation. In individual cases ithas proven to be suitable to wait at least 30 minutes, as needed even atleast 50 minutes. However it has been shown that the second measurementof the fluorescence should not occur later than 15 hours, especially notlater than 10 hours after the end of the pre-irradiation, sincerelaxation processes that lead to incorrect measurement results alreadybecome noticeable. Typically the second measurement should not occurlater than 8 hours after the end of the pre-irradiation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The objects, features and advantages of the invention will now beillustrated in more detail with the aid of the following description ofthe preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows fluorescence spectra of a laser-stable sample of a materialexcited with an excimer laser at a wavelength of 193 nm and excited witha DPSS laser at a wavelength of 532 nm 45 minutes after shutting off theexcimer laser;

FIG. 2A shows a fluorescence excitation spectrum of CaF₂ forfluorescence at 740 nm measured with a fluorescence spectrometer;

FIG. 2B shows four fluorescence spectra measured with the fluorescencespectrometer including two spectra measured with lamp excitation at 490nm with and without pre-irradiation with a laser at 193 nm respectivelyand two other spectra measured with lamp excitation at 550 nm with andwithout pre-irradiation with a laser at 193 nm respectively;

FIG. 3A is a graphical illustration of the kinetics of the GLIF at 740nm and 630 nm respectively for a sample 6 that is very stable tohigh-energy laser radiation; and

FIG. 3B is a graphical illustration of the kinetics of the GLIF at 740nm and 630 nm respectively for a sample 4 that is stable to high-energylaser radiation, but less stable than sample 6 as shown by FIG. 3A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows that almost no fluorescence is measurable in the wavelengthrange of 550 nm to 810 nm in laser-stable samples with pre-irradiationand fluorescence measurement exclusively at 193 nm (solid curve withhigh peaks a to 360 nm). However according to the invention thefluorescence may still be evaluated with excitation at 532 nm (dottedcurve with low peaks at 532 nm and 600 to 800 nm). Dimensionless countsare reported in FIG. 1. The qualitative behavior of these dimensionlesscounts remains the same although their absolute values may vary fromtesting set up to testing set up due to adjustment and calibration. Alsothe difference between prior art measurement (solid) and measurementaccording to the invention (dotted) remains the same from testing set upto testing set up.

It is known from the prior art that the sensitivity of the measuredfluorescence in a wavelength range from 550 to 810 nm may increase stillfurther, when the fluorescence is measured after a pre-irradiation withshort-wavelength UV light. However according to the present inventionthe exciting wavelengths for the fluorescence measurement should not bethose of the pre-irradiation, but should be in a wavelength rangebetween 460 nm and 700 nm, especially between 500 nm and 650 nm.Measurement of the fluorescence in a wavelength range between 530 nm and635 nm is particularly preferred. Excitation of fluorescence atwavelengths of 532 nm, 632 nm or 635 nm is particularly preferred.Furthermore a fluorescence band is satisfactorily detectable at 630 nmwith excitation at wavelengths less than 600 nm. A spectrum, which wasobtained with the particularly preferred excitation at 532 nm, is shownas the red curve in FIG. 1.

Excitation by means of a helium-neon laser at 633 nm or by means of alaser diode at 635 nm (besides red laser radiation, RLIF) and at 532 nmwith a diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSS laser, green laserradiation, GLIF) have proven to be especially suitable. The excitationby means of the helium-neon laser at 633 nm or by means of a laser diodeat 635 nm is about a factor of 4 more sensitive than the excitation at532 nm. In principle the fluorescence signal varies approximatelylinearly with the input laser power.

FIG. 2A shows fluorescence excitation spectra for fluorescence at 740 nmwith excitation with light at wavelengths of 532 nm and 633respectively. At an excitation wavelength of 633 nm sensitivityimprovement of about a factor of 4 is achieved in comparison to theresults with excitation at a wavelength of 532 nm.

FIG. 2B shows that both utilized preferred peaks (630 nm, 740 nm) can becontrolled according to the excitation.

According to the invention especially laser-stable material ischaracterized in that the fluorescence does not change or only slightlychanges after the end of the pre-irradiation. In contrast a lesslaser-stable sample already has a definite increase of the respectiveintensities of the fluorescence bands at 630 nm and 740 nm after awaiting time of from 10 or 20 minutes or of from 30 to 50 minutes afterthe end of the pre-irradiation until the second measurement. Thiscontrasts to the first measurement, which is performed immediately afterthe pre-irradiation.

Both fluorescence bands are especially suitable as fluorescencemeasurement wavelengths within the wavelength range from 550 nm to 810nm. In the case of fluorescence measurements of CaF₂ samples awavelength of 740 nm has proven particular suitable.

In contrast to a laser-stable sample only a slight increase of therespective intensities of the fluorescence bands at 630 nm and 740 nm incomparison to the intensities measured in the first fluorescentmeasurement can be detected in an especially laser-stable sample by themethod according to the invention under the same conditions.

Laser-stable and especially laser-stable materials may already be foundin advance of working or processing by measurement of these fluorescencechanges after a waiting time of at least 5 to 50 min, especially atleast 10 to 30 min.

Thus the following steps occur in the method according to the invention:

1) pre-irradiation of the sample, for example with an ArF excimer laser;

2) immediately after the pre-irradiation performing a first measurementof fluorescence emission in a wavelength range λ1 of from 580 nm to 810nm, which is excited with excitation radiation of wavelengths in a rangefrom 460 nm to 700 nm; and

3) after a waiting time of at least 5 min, especially at least 10 min,and at most 15 hours after the end of the pre-irradiation, performing asecond measurement of the fluorescence emission in a wavelength range λ1of from 580 nm to 810 nm, which is excited with excitation radiation ofwavelengths in a range from 460 nm to 700 nm.

From the measured values of fluorescence intensities the increase Z iscalculated from the difference of both measured values of fluorescenceintensities normalized to the intensity value measured in the secondmeasurement (I_(2,λ1,λ2)) according to the following formula 1:

Z=(I _(2,λ1,λ) ₂ −I _(1,λ1,λλ2))/I _(2,λ1,λ2)  (1).

The value Z for especially laser-stable samples of CaF₂ amounts to atmost 0.3 at an excitation wavelength λ1 a of 532 nm or λ1 b of 633 nm or635 nm and with a measurement wavelength λ2 of 740 nm for thefluorescence.

It is even possible to already test non-crystalline pre-products, forexample the calcium fluoride ingots described in DE 10 2004 003829, fortheir later laser resistance prior to growing finished large-volumesingle crystals. It is thus already possible to evaluate and identifyespecially suitable material prior to the expensive growth process,which lasts several months. According to the invention the threeabove-described method steps are employed and the same formula 1 for Zis used. In the case of CaF₂ the second measurement value is determinedafter a waiting time of at least 5 minutes, especially at least 10minutes, preferably after at least 30 minutes, after the end of thepre-irradiation. The fluorescence excitation occurs at wavelengths λ1 aof 532 nm or λ1 b of 633 nm or 635 nm and with a measurement wavelengthλ2 of 740 nm for the fluorescence intensities in the case of bothmeasurements. When the Z value is less than 0.3, then the respectivesamples are especially laser-stable. Samples, which exhibit a signalless than 400 counts in the first and second fluorescence measurements,generally are especially laser-stable, on account of the measurementerror (+150 counts, at 1500 counts −10%).

After calibration of the measurement system, comparisons of the absolutemeasured values of the second fluorescence measurements from sample tosample or from sample to an appropriate comparison sample are meaningfulfor laser resistance or laser strength classification.

The respective measured fluorescence is compared with the fluorescenceof a comparison sample and with laser stability suitable for the planedapplication in a second embodiment of the method according to theinvention. In this embodiment both samples are subjected to the sameconditions, i.e. the same wavelengths and the same incident energydensities. A sample, which has fluorescence bands at 740 nm that areestablished as being in the signal noise of the measurement apparatusimmediately after excitation at a wavelength of 193 nm according to theprior art during the fluorescence measurement, usually is used as thecomparison sample for classification of the measurement probe aslaser-stable. The laser resistance is measured for this comparison underconditions of usage, for example with the above-described duration ofexposure to the high-energy radiation.

The method according to the invention is also used to measure the laserresistance of samples, for which a laser stability classification intolaser-stable and especially laser-stable based on measured fluorescencevalues obtained by fluorescence measurement according to the prior artof a fluorescence band at 740 nm that is still in the signal noise ofthe measurement apparatus or of no band at 740 nm immediately afterpre-irradiation at 193 nm is not possible. This sort of laser stabilityclassification requires the use of the method according to the inventionsince a peak of ≦15 counts is found using the method according to theprior art, which corresponds to the measurement error.

The optical material that has sufficient laser-stability according tothe method of the present invention is especially suitable for makingoptical components for DUV lithography, and for making wafers coatedwith photo lacquer and thus for making electronic devices. The inventionthus also concerns the use of materials selected or obtained by themethod according to the invention and/or crystals according to theinvention for making lenses, prisms, light conducting rods, opticalwindows and optical devices for DUV lithography, especially for makingsteppers and excimer lasers and thus also for making of integratedcircuits, computer chips and electronic devices, such as processors andother device, which contain chip-type integrated circuits.

The inventive method is further illustrated in more detail with thefollowing examples, whose details do not limit the appended claims.

EXAMPLES Example 1

A 3 cm×3 cm sample was broken off of a polycrystalline ingot made frommelted calcium fluoride powder. This crystal sample was irradiated in aholder with about 10,000 pulses (3 min at 60 Hz) of light with an energydensity of 30 mJ/cm² from an ArF excimer laser. Subsequently immediatelyafter pre-irradiation and after a waiting time of 20 minutes the samplewas irradiated with light at 532 nm (GLIF) and the intensities of thefluorescence at a wavelength of 740 nm were measured by means of a CCDcamera (Spectrometer system with CCD camera as detector). Themeasurement occurred by means of a CCD camera as described in thealready mentioned WO 2004/027395. The normalized value of Z iscalculated according to the above-described equation 1:

Z=(I _(2,λ1,λ2) −I _(1,λ1,λ2))/I _(2,λ1,λ2)  (1).

The following measured fluorescence intensities of the fluorescence at740 nm were obtained by excitation with wavelengths λ1 a of 532 nm or λ1b of 635 nm for the different CaF₂ samples no. 1 to 5. The results arereported in Table I herein below.

TABLE 1 FLUORESCENCE INTENSITIES AT 740 nm AND CALCULATED Z VALUES FORFLUORESCENCE OF DIFFERENT CaF₂ SAMPLES 1^(st) Measurement 2^(nd)Measurement 1^(st) Measurement 2^(nd) Measurement Counts Counts CountsCounts Sample λ1a = 532 nm λ1a = 532 nm Z λ1a = 635 nm λ1a = 635 nm Z 1180 190 0.05 380 410 0.07 2 500 3200 0.84 2000 14500 0.86 3 500 20000.75 1050 6400 0.85 4 175 500 0.65 5 80 100 0.2

Example 2

A previously obtained CaF₂ crystal was pre-irradiated with 10,000 laserpulses from an ArF laser at a repetition rate of 60 Hz with an energydensity of 10 mJ/cm². Subsequently this sample was irradiated with agreen solid state laser with a wavelength of 532 nm and fluorescenceintensities were measured immediately after pre-irradiation and alsoafter 15, 10, 20, 30, and 45 minutes. The intensities of thefluorescence were measured at wavelengths of 630 nm and 740 nm. Theresults are illustrated in the appended FIGS. 3A and 3B.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in amethod of determining the laser stability of optical materials, crystalsselected according to the method, and uses of the selected crystals, itis not intended to be limited to the details shown, since variousmodifications and changes may be made without departing in any way fromthe spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

1. A method of determining or evaluating laser stability of opticalmaterials for making optical elements, especially for transmission ofhigh-energy radiation, in which the optical materials are pre-irradiatedand induced non-intrinsic fluorescence of the optical materials ismeasured, said method comprising the steps of: a) pre-irradiating anoptical material; b) exciting induced fluorescence in the opticalmaterial immediately after an end of said pre-irradiating and also atleast ten minutes after said end of said pre-irradiating with light of awavelength between 350 to 700 nm; c) measuring intensities of saidinduced fluorescence at one or more wavelengths between 550 nm and 810nm; and d) quantitatively evaluating said intensities of said inducedfluorescence at said one or more of said wavelengths between 550 nm and810 nm.
 2. The method as defined in claim 1, in which said wavelengththat excites said induced fluorescence in said optical material isbetween 350 nm and 430 nm or between 500 nm and 700 nm.
 3. The method asdefined in claim 1, in which said pre-irradiating of said opticalmaterial takes place with radiation from a laser and said radiation fromsaid laser is in a wavelength range from 150 nm to 240 nm.
 4. The methodas defined in claim 3, in which said radiation from said laser is at 193nm and said laser is an ArF excimer laser.
 5. The method as defined inclaim 1, in which said wavelengths at which said intensities of saidinduced fluorescence are measured are between 580 nm and 810 nm and/orbetween 680 nm and 810 nm.
 6. The method as defined in claim 1, in whichsaid fluorescence intensities are measured at a first time immediatelyafter said end of said pre-irradiating and at a second time afterwaiting for at least 5 minutes and at most 15 hours after said end ofsaid pre-irradiating.
 7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein saidoptical material is a CaF₂ crystal.
 8. A method of finding at least oneespecially laser-stable CaF₂ crystal in a group of calcium fluoridecrystals, said method comprising the steps of: a) pre-irradiating eachof a plurality of different CaF₂ crystals; b) exciting inducedfluorescence in each of the different CaF₂ crystals immediately after anend of said pre-irradiating and also exciting the induced fluorescenceat least ten minutes after said end of said pre-irradiating with lightof a wavelength between 350 to 700 nm; c) measuring intensities of saidinduced fluorescence in each of the different samples at a wavelength of740 nm in a first measurement at a first time immediately after said endof said pre-irradiating and in a second measurement at a second timeafter waiting for at least 10 minutes and at most 15 hours after saidend of said pre-irradiating; and d) identifying the at least one CaF₂crystal that is especially laser-stable as having a normalizeddifference (Z) of said intensities (I_(1,λ1,λ2, I) _(2,λ1,λ2)) of saidinduced fluorescence measured in said first measurement and in saidsecond measurement, as calculated by the following equation (1):Z=(I _(2,λ1,λ2) −I _(1,λ1,λ2))/I _(2,λ1,λ2)  (1), that is less than 0.3.9. An especially laser-stable CaF₂ crystal obtainable by a methodcomprising evaluating laser stability of different CaF₂ crystals formaking optical elements, especially for transmission of high-energyradiation, in which the optical materials are pre-irradiated and inducednon-intrinsic fluorescence of the optical materials is measured, saidmethod comprising the steps of: a) pre-irradiating each of the differentCaF₂ crystals; b) exciting induced fluorescence in each of the differentCaF₂ crystals immediately after an end of said pre-irradiating and alsoat least ten minutes after said end of said pre-irradiating with lightof a wavelength between 350 to 700 nm; c) measuring intensities of saidinduced fluorescence in each of the different CaF₂ crystals at awavelength of 740 nm in a first measurement at a first time immediatelyafter said end of said pre-irradiating and in a second measurement at asecond time after waiting for at least 10 minutes and at most 15 hoursafter said end of said pre-irradiating; and d) identifying a CaF₂crystal that is especially laser-stable as that having a normalizeddifference (Z) of said intensities (I_(1,λ1,λ2, I) _(2,λ1,λ2)) of saidinduced fluorescence measured for the CaF₂ crystals in said firstmeasurement and in said second measurement, as calculated by thefollowing equation (1):Z=(I _(2,λ1,λ2) −I _(1,λ1,λ2))/I _(2,λ1,λ2)  (1), which is less than0.3.
 10. A lens, a prism, a light conducting rod, an optical window, anoptical device for DUV lithography, a stepper for DUV lithography, anexcimer laser for DUV lithography, an integrated circuit, a computerchip, an electronic device, or a processor that comprises an opticalmaterial obtainable by the method as defined in claim
 1. 11. A lens, aprism, a light conducting rod, an optical window, an optical device forDUV lithography, a stepper for DUV lithography, an excimer laser for DUVlithography, an integrated circuit, a computer chip, an electronicdevice, or a processor that comprises a CaF₂ crystal that is selectedaccording to the method as defined in claim 8.